A Change of Heart
by Ice Silverwind
Summary: Ichigo has been captured by Aizen. He has agreed to cooperate but what happens when he attracts too much attention from Aizen and a certain teal haired Espada? GrimmjowxIchigo
1. Caught

_Disclaimer: I don't own Grimm… or Ichi…or any part of Bleach…sniff_

_Author's Note: This takes place after Chapter 304 of the manga. Unohana, Byakuya, and Mayuri have just finished their battles._

_AizenxIchi : 3 votes  
GrimmjowxIchi: 1 vote_

_Grimmjow: What?! Hell! C'mon! I was the one who fought him so many times!  
Aizen: tosses Catnip at the ground  
Grimmjow: The hell is… -purr-  
Ichigo: ...I feel like an auction item…  
Aizen: I believe I won you. Therefore you are an item.  
Ice: Not yet! The voting continues!!!  
Ichigo: Having fun selling me to the highest bidder?  
Ice: Yep. You can sell high!  
Ichigo:…Why?  
Ice: Well… you're pretty strong, skinny and not too bulky, and you give in easily!  
Ichigo: splutter Wai-What?  
Ice: Anyway, enjoy the story! -Watches as Ichigo is carried off by Aizen bridal style- I should stop him shouldn't I…hmm_

**HelpThePoorStrawberryGetAwayHelpThePoorStrawberryGetAwayHelpThePoorStrawberryGetAway**

Ichigo struggled to stand, struggled to remain conscious as Zaraki fought Noitora and Inoue frantically tried to heal Nel. He could hear Grimmjow's ragged breathing some lengths away. Zangetsu lay, loosely clutched in his hand. He felt overwhelming tiredness and pain but tightened his grip and tried to stand up again.

A heavy reiatsu pushed down on him and activity on and off the battlefield stopped. Grimmjow cursed weakly to his side and he turned his face in that direction for a brief second then looked back on the battlefield. Noitora looked almost sad as he backed away from Zaraki who was catching a breather, battle rhythm temporarily halted by the reiatsu. Across the fighting duo, Inoue looked scared but resumed healing Nel, the orange force field glowing even brighter.

The reiatsu lightened on them as the person wielding it stepped out into the open. Ichigo's eyes widened and everyone excluding Nel looked at the person. Noitora spoke first.

"Aizen-sama, so very nice to see you." The sarcasm in his voice was almost undetectable.

Zaraki grinned a feral grin at Aizen but before he could say anything Uliquorra stepped out of a garganta looking the same as he had when he entered. The small espada bowed to Aizen and regarded the scene without emotion, eyes resting a slight bit longer on Zaraki's presence. His gaze returned to Aizen as the leader of Las Noches spoke.

"Inoue, what are you doing here?" The girl in question stammered something resembling what had happened to her, careful not to seem biased about anyone. Aizen nodded and her stammering stopped. "Are you done healing Neliel?" Inoue nodded sharply, head bouncing so much the rest of her shoke too. Or perhaps that was her fear causing her to shake. "Please heal Kurosaki-kun and Grimmjow then."

Noitora immediately protested. Zaraki had, at that time, retrieved Yachiru from her hiding place and sat down on a nearby rock outcropping. Inoue, stumbled immediately to Ichigo and Grimmjow and covered both in one large healing shield.

Ichigo, finally over his surprise croaked out. "Why?"

Aizen glanced at him and he froze. "Please be silent until you are healed." Grimmjow groaned nearby and slowly attempting to get up as his wounds healed at amazing speeds.

_Elsewhere_

Byakuya's head shot up as Aizen's reiatsu came close to Zaraki and that Orange haired boy. Isane also looked in that direction and he quickly thought of what should happen. "Is Rukia's condition stable?" At the healer's confirmation he asked another question. "Stabilize your division member quickly." Isane nodded and went to work on Hanatarou. Soon the aristocrat, with Rukia in his arms, and Isane, carefully supporting Hanatarou, shunpoed off in the direction of Aizen and Zaraki.

Mayuri's head turned as Aizen's reiatsu flared. Ishida and Renji let out startled exclamations at about the same time. The crazy scientist scowled. He was under orders to not go after Aizen but it was so tempting… Wait. That was Zaraki's reiatsu so close to Aizen. Kurotsuchi grinned. He glanced at his bankai which had completed eating Szayel and dispelled it, shunpoing off quickly. Renji and Ishida blinked on the ground in disbelief that he'd left them and protested as much as they could without the use of several organs. The two sighed and tried to figure out their situation.

Unohana looked up from healing the arrancar and sighed. She had detected Aizen's reiatsu but did not realized the need to go toward it. Apparently, Kuchiki Taichou and Kurotsuchi Taichou had. Zaraki Taichou was already there. The only reassuring thing she felt was that Zaraki had stopped fighting. She concentrated again and sighed. It stood to reason that he had left Abarai Fukutaichou and the Quincy like that. She summoned Minazuki (1) and deposited a half healed Sado in the mouth. Unohana sat on her zanpactou spirit and turned it around. Let the other Taichou deal with fighting and killing. She had people to rescue first.

_Back at the Scene_

As Ichigo and Grimmjow healed, many of the people wondered why Zaraki wasn't challenging Aizen. To Zaraki, the answer was easy. Aizen had looked at Yachiru's hiding place. One false move and Yachiru would be hurt. As much as he wanted to fight, there was no way he could take on three espada and Aizen even if he had the boy's help. Yachiru, of course, knew that and came out of hiding. There was more sense in staying close to Ken-chan in this situation.

Ichigo and Grimmjow's injures were almost healed now and both of them, along with the rest of the people(2) there, wondered why Aizen had cared enough to heal Ichigo too. No one asked. Everyone waited in silence as Inoue healed the two fighters. In the corner of the battlefield, Nel woke up and got to her hands and knees.

A flash; and Byakuya was suddenly present, unconscious Rukia in his arms. A second later Isane appeared next to him with Hanatarou, both breathing heavily. Mayuri flashed up next to them and Zaraki glanced at the shinigami behind him with a wiry grin. "Yo!"

Attention shifted to Aizen once more, who was looking at Ichigo, barely blinking. The orange haired vizard looked at him as well and the two engaged in what seemed like a staring match. Grimmjow sat cross-legged on the ground next to Ichigo.

"That is enough Inoue." The orange haired girl flinched at Aizen's lordly tone and withdrew her healing shield. The man continued distributing instructions. "Heal Noitora's wounds next." He turned to the shinigami group and stated his terms. "As of now, I refrain from attack you and you will do the same until everyone else arrives." The "everyone else" soon became clear as Unohana glided down with her three patients fully conscious on Minazuki's back. After she had withdrawn her zanpactou Aizen spoke again.

"Everyone is here I presume? No. Kuchiki Taichou, please awaken your sister. I would like my audience conscious when I speak." Aizen declared and his reiatsu pulsed gently. The three espada looked at him. All the shinigami tensed but the aforementioned captain raised a hand and woke Rukia who began asking a question but stopped immediately. Aizen's reiatsu had pulsed once more. She turned toward him wide eyed and he spoke.

"I am willing to forgive the deaths of my espada primarily because something very interesting has caught my eye." The espada were startled. For Aizen to state that he was interested in something publicly like this was a far too rare occurrence. Uliquorra's eyes flitted to orange haired boy who had suddenly stood, eyes still staring at Aizen. "I would like to request a trade. I will allow Inoue to leave with you if you give me what I want." Several sucked in breaths could be heard. Even Uliquorra and Byakuya showed surprise. The former shifted on his feet and the latter's eyes narrowed. "Would that be alright?" Before any of the Captains could speak, Rukia yelled out.

"Yes!"

Aizen turned to the orange haired boy and it was then that everyone noticed the vizard's eyes were uncommonly blank. "Do you hear that?"

"Yes," Ichigo replied, voice hollow. "I understand. I accept." He flashed a glance at the group of shinigami, pain barely concealed in his gaze. No one seemed to notice and his whole form seemed to droop.

Aizen continued without pause, "Uliquorra, please open the shinigami a garganta to the real world." The green-eyed arrancar bowed at the waist and opened a large garganta immediately. "Please leave immediately." The shinigami and Inoue walked to the portal. The group was half way through the portal when Ishida commented.

"Kurosaki! Get moving!" The some of the group turned. Ichigo had not moved from his spot and was staring at them. Now only Ishida and Rukia were left on the Hueco Mundo side of the garganta. The latter had stepped back across after seeing a problem.

Uliquorra shunpoed(3) in front of them several meters away, a charged cero in his right hand pointing straight at them. The Ishida and Rukia's eyes widened as Grimmjow and the healed Noitora flash stepped to each side, their own cero forming. The two dodged through the garganta as the ceros blasted and the garganta snapped shut just after releasing the ceros into the air.

The group stared at the spot in the sky that housed the garganta in various forms of disbelief. What just happened?

**OhNoesWhatHappenedOhNoesWhatHappenedOhNoesWhatHappenedOhNoesWhatHappened**

_Author's Notes:_

_This story was previously named Confusion. I currently don't have a beta so if anyone finds grammar or spelling errors, I'd appreciate knowing… Jeez… I sound like some sort of adult… shiver. Anyway, chapter one this is. As stated above, the pairing vote is still going on. The story's pairing will be determined…by the 3__rd__ or 4__th__ chapter probably. Thanks to all who reviewed on "Confusion" and voted Jaa!_

_(1) The large green stingray with one eye and three legs… Weird…  
(2) Can they be considered people? ... They are dead… twisted versions of the dead…  
(3) I know arrancar don't shunpo. They do something else… but I can't remember so shunpo it is._


	2. Companion

_Disclaimer: I don't own Grimm… or Ichi…or any part of Bleach…sniff_

_Author's Note: M'Kay This is probably gonna be an AizenxIchi with the way things are going now… Ah…GrimmxIchi's my OTP… Oh well. My other story's probably gonna be tha' so I'm okay… Anyway, here you go! (And tell me if you find errors!)_

_AizenxIchigo : 7 votes_

_GrimmjowxIchigo: 4 votes_

**LasNochesLasNochesLasNochesLasNochesLasNochesLasNochesLasNochesLasNoches**

As soon as the cero had been fired, Grimmjow, Noitora, and Uliquorra turned to Ichigo, still on the ground. His eyes had been wide with horror as the cero had blasted but didn't move from his location. Aizen began walking back inside the inner fortress of Las Noches and Ichigo followed. The Espada, curious at everything that had occurred, followed behind the two. While walking, Aizen quirked a finger to Uliquorra and the stoic Espada shunpoed in one step till he was close to Aizen.

He nodded after receiving orders and turned, gesturing for the Espada and Ichigo to stop. The orange haired boy with the large sword on his back still seemed dazed at everything that had happened but was slowly regaining his former stubborn attitude. His hazel eyes blazed At Uliquorra and he wordlessly challenged the Espada. Uliquorra bowed calmly and Ichigo was instantly mollified.

Please follow me." Uliquorra said, as Aizen disappeared from everyone's view. Ichigo and the two other Espada were led inside Las Noches. The first to speak after Aizen had left was not Uliquorra.

"Why'd you stay behind shinigami?" Noitora asked bluntly. Ichigo didn't reply. Instead, Uliquorra gave the reason.

"He is a guest and not to be harmed."

Grimmjow spoke next. "And he's a vizard Noitora. Ya know that." Ichigo didn't reply. The four walked down several corridors and Noitora left after a while to chase his own interests. Grimmjow made to do so but was stopped by Uliquorra who promptly gestured for the orange haired boy to step forward.

"Kurosaki will reside in the room across from yours Grimmjow." The two scowled and glared at each other. "You will also escort Kurosaki around Las Noches and Hueco Mundo." Ichigo butted in before Grimmjow could.

"Why him?!" Grimmjow scowled even deeper at Ichigo's protest.

"Why can't Yami take him?" Grimmjow asked.

Uliquorra responded easily and without emotion. "Yami is too weak and everyone else who has the free time to escort him would just as easily kill him."

"So you think I won't kill the brat?"

"We're too even to have a quick battle and/or death."

The two turned to Ichigo who had spoken. He still wore his deep scowl but seemed resigned. Uliquorra nodded and gestured. "I must go now. Grimmjow, his quarters will be the one across from yours; the one with a zero on the door. There is an Espada/Fraccion meeting in an hour. Please bring Kurosaki after you two clean up." After finishing, he shunpoed down the hall, not allowing the two to comment.

Grimmjow and Ichigo glared at each other for a while before Ichigo broke the silence. "Well shall we; Sexta Espada?" he said sarcastically. Grimmjow veiled his emotions, staring at Ichigo for a moment, before whirring around and setting off at a light shunpo. Ichigo followed him, wondering about Grimmjow's stern expression.

The two stopped at a corridor far away from the center of Las Noches. Grimmjow gestured to the white door with a large spiky six around eye level. He growled, "My door; my rooms. No fucking exploring in my quarters without my fucking permission got it?" Ichigo opened his mouth to retort but Grimmjow continued, gesturing to the door across the corridor. "Tha's your quarters. No one's been living there for quite some time. Dunno why."

Ichigo blinked and tried the door knob. The tall but thin door opened and he gaped at what was inside. The walls of what seemed to be the living room were white. There was a black set of sofas and what looked to be a ton of black and white bean bags littering the ground. One high window on the left showed the sickle moon. The right side had a double set of doors in the corner as did the wall in front of them. The doors were stark black.

Grimmjow slid in behind him and whistled appreciatively. "Nice quarters for a guest. Almost as big as mine and definitely bigger than Yami's," he commented. Ichigo stumbled onto the black loveseat and sprawled there as Grimmjow inspected what was behind the doors. His voice trailed out behind him. "Hmm… living quarters: Spa bath, closet, nice bed." He left the living quarters. "Oy, you've got more black stuff than any of us!" Ichigo nodded absentmindedly and followed Grimmjow into the other set of doors.

The vizard bumped into something hard and raised his head only to discover that he'd smacked into Grimmjow's back. The teal haired Espada glanced back at him. "Hey, ya pretty short ain't ya?" Ichigo scowled again. Now that the two were standing together, the height difference was obvious. The top of Ichigo's head only reached Grimmjow's mouth.

The orange haired boy stepped back and asked curtly, "Why'd ya stop?" Grimmjow turned to what was behind the door.

"Tha's why." Ichigo blinked. There was nothing behind the door except for a wall. Why was there a wall behind a door?

"Oy, red!" Grimmjow had stepped back into the center room.

Ichigo called out. "My hair's orange, not red and I've got a name you know!" He walked back to the center room to see Grimmjow sprawled on the sofa, clothes smearing blood and sand all over.

"Get off the sofa, you're all dirty!" Ichigo went over and promptly began shoving the teal haired arrancar off the sofa. The man grinned, with a large shove, pushed Ichigo to the ground and stood, leaned over him. Ichigo tensed at the position they were in but Grimmjow continued grinning.

"Whatever man; Some shit arrancar will come clean it up later." He began walking to the door. "I'm taking a bath and changing. You should too." He looked pointedly at the vizard's torn up uniform that threatened to slip of his hips and shoulders. Ichigo noticed and, blushing, pulled his hakama up. Grimmjow's grin grew even wider. "Aw, ya all red. See ya in a few minutes red." Grimmjow walked out the door, leisurely turning his back on the red faced boy.

"It's orange!" Ichigo finally yelled at the figure half way through opening his own door. Grimmjow didn't reply and closed his door behind him.

Ichigo went to his large bathroom and promptly picked the spa over the standing shower. He dropped Zangetsu next to the tub and readied the water. Upon finding a small box that read "clothes", Ichigo dropped his dirty ones into what was looked like the dirty laundry chute. Then he lowered his aching body into the warm water and began to scrub, recount the events that had just happened.

"_Please be silent until you are healed," Aizen had said. Suddenly, a copy of Aizen split off and walked down to him. He struggled to get up but his wounds didn't allow him._

"_What do you want?!" Ichigo yelled at him and dimly realized no one else responded to the fact that he had yelled._

"_I would like to make you a deal," Aizen replied calmly. He walked closer to the orange haired boy on the ground and stated the terms. "I will return Inoue Orihime to the real world as well as your friends and the shinigami. In return, you will stay in Las Noches and obey my rules. The minute you disobey and/or escape, I will order the killing of your friends." Ichigo gulped and thought quickly, glancing at the battlefield. _

_If he said no, Aizen would most likely kill a lot, if not all, of his friends. He was just a fighter but they could be so much more. Ichigo spared a glance at the captains who had just arrived and was relieved to see Rukia in Byakuya's arms and seemingly alive. Within a few seconds, the rest of his friends had arrived, mostly unharmed._

_A smooth hand brushed his cheek and Ichigo jerked his head around. Aizen was kneeling close to him, one hand curved around his jawbone. Ichigo made to jerk away but Aizen held his jaw in a bruising grip. "I will allow your friends and the shinigami to return alive if you stay. Hurry Kurosaki-kun, my offer does not stand forever." Ichigo gulped again but could not bring himself to reply. He wanted to help his friends but he also didn't want to give himself up to them. Luckily Aizen decided for him in the next sentence he spoke._

"_Would you agree if your friends agreed?" Ichigo looked up and nodded quickly. He didn't want the problem on his hands, his already blood stained hands. Aizen nodded as well and walked back to join his copy that was talking to the shinigami group. _

_Hearing returned to him, Ichigo stood and listened as Aizen told Inoue to stop healing him and told Byakuya to wake Rukia. He listened as Aizen stated the trade loosely and listened as Rukia yelled yes without the least bit if hesitation. His heart fell as Aizen turned to him._

"_Do you hear that?"_

"_Yes," He had replied. "I understand. I accept." He shot a fleeting glance at the group, noticing that none of them seemed to care that they'd traded him away so easily. The rest of his hope was crushed as the group began to leave. The fact that Aizen never mentioned his name while explaining the trade never occurred to him as his mind grew numb._

Ichigo blinked and dragged his mind back to the present. He finished washing and dried himself with white towels folded neatly on a shelf. He opened the box of clothes and cursed, dropping them. A white outfit trimmed with black pooled out onto the ground. He wished he hadn't dumped his old clothes away.

Ichigo dressed hesitantly after the moment's hesitation, noting that the fabric was soft. The outfit contained a pair of white hakama much like Grimmjow's with an overly long black sash. The upper half was a zip up white vest with a collar that could be zipped too. He left the collar open, the black zipper dangling low on his chest, and put on the black socks and tan sandals. Finally, he picked up the last piece of clothing. The coat(1) looked just like the invert of his bankai one complete with the wide frayed edges at the bottom. The only difference was an almost invisible zipper that went from around his waist area to the middle of his chest.

A knock on the bathroom door alerted him as he was strapping his sword onto his back. He opened the door to reveal Grimmjow standing in clean clothes, hair slightly wet. "C'mon," the teal haired man said, and dragged Ichigo out by one shoulder.

Ichigo yanked his arm out of the teal haired Espada's grasp but continued following him as the two strolled down corridor after corridor. Grimmjow looked at Ichigo out of the corner of his eye.

"Nice outfit." Ichigo blinked and looked at the Espada.

"Wha?" Grimmjow scowled at Ichigo's half reply.

"Jeez, it was a fucking compliment! Don't look so surprised!" Ichigo blinked, and then looked away.

"Why are you being nice to me?"

"'Cause ya stayin' for a while yeah? Besides, the outfit suits ya." Ichigo felt a small blush grow on his cheeks but could think of nothing to say.

"Thanks," He muttered after a while.

"s'okay. Hey, after the meeting, ya wanna fight?" Ichigo glared at the larger man who was grinning easily at him.

"You wanna lose again?"

"Hell no! I'm gonna win this time!"

"Yeah right! I'm stronger!"

"Fuck you're stronger. We got almost the same reiatsu levels!"

"That must mean I fight better then; since I won."

"Nah! You just got fucking lucky."

"It wasn't luck! It was skill!"

"Oh? What sort of skill might you have, Berry head?"

"More than you! And don't call me Berry head!"

"Berry head!"

"Shut the hell up!"

Their bickering continued to echo down the halls as they walked. All the arrancar that came upon them were shocked. Grimmjow rarely spoke to anyone casually except across the battlefield. He was well known as the Espada with the shortest fuse and the hottest temper but here he was, yelling at some shinigami wearing a white outfit and enjoying himself. Even more, the shinigami was yelling back and Grimmjow hadn't attack him.

Most of the arrancar dismissed it as Espada behavior but the few Fraccion that saw them stored the information later. Anyone that could talk to the Sexta Espada like this would be useful later on. For what purpose, they had no idea but their patrons would know.

Grimmjow stopped the yelling match a corridor from the meeting place and Ichigo, sensing Girmmjow's mood become serious, stopped the banter as well. The two stopped at the door and Grimmjow took a deep breath. He opened one of the two large doors and stepped in. Ichigo followed him into the large room and gasped at the sight.

**LeMeetingOfLeEspadaFraccionLeMeetingEspadaFraccionLeMeetingOfLeEspadaFraccion**

_Author's Note: Ah… I can't believe I'm doing this on FINALS WEEK… You guys are lucky man… Ichi & Grimm are pounding on my head! I can feel them threatening me! I must write! Lol j/k. Eh.. The voting'll go for 1 more chapter. This is the last one… unless I change the story... which happens when plot bunnies try to run away from me…Review and Vote!_

_(1) Okay, maybe coat is a bad name for it but what else can I call it?_


	3. Las Noches 101

_Disclaimer: I don't own Grimm… or Ichi…or any part of Bleach…sniff_

_Author's Note: I am truly sorry it's so late... but here it is! & Grimm's catching up on the polls!_

_Grimmjow: Ha! My berry!_

_Aizen: Hmm…_

_AizenxIchigo : 13 votes_

_GrimmjowxIchigo: 12 votes_

**TheMeetingRoomTheMeetingRoomTheMeetingRoomTheMeetingRoomTheMeetingRoom**

'The room was huge,' Ichigo thought. His eyes darted to the left and right. Large white rectangular blocks covered most of the walls. He could barely see white forms dotting the tops of the blocks. The arrancar seemed to be sitting and standing in various groups. Grimmjow bowed slightly next to him and disappeared. Ichigo turned as he bowed and looked forward and up. Aizen sat on pristine white throne, one elbow supporting his head as he watched. Ichigo scowled deeper. Aizen was smiling at him.

Grimmjow had settled down on his own white block, one leg hanging over the edge. He didn't know why, but he was restless. He watched as the orange haired kid shuffled his feet on the ground and as more arrancar stepped in the room and went to their own locations. A few arrancar darted uneasy glances at the boy as his reiatsu slowly increased. The boy was practically projecting his emotions in his reiatsu. Grimmjow sighed then caught himself. When had _he_ cared about what the boy was thinking?

"We will begin now." Aizen spoke. "We have just recently acquired a new comrade; Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo immediately raised his head with a defiant look.

"Hell no! I ain't here 'cause I wanna be!" Arrancar protested at his insolence.

Aizen's smile disappeared and Uliquorra's voice rang out. "Aizen-sama does not like profanities"

"Thank you Uliquorra." Aizen stopped abruptly as Ichigo's reiatsu increased even more in annoyance. Several Fraccion on the sides began to make choking noises. "Kurosaki-kun, lower your reiatsu." The boy didn't. "Uliquorra, for the next few days, you will train Kurosaki-kun on reiatsu control and his mask. I would like all my arrancar to have control over themselves."

Everyone then watched as the orange haired shinigami staggered and fell on his knees, panting. No one had any doubt that it wasn't Aizen-sama's doing. Aizen continued as Ichigo stood up shakily, pressure lifted from his body. Ichigo's reiatsu was no longer pulsing as heavily. "He will be staying in the room of the Cero espada." No one spoke out loud though several shifted in surprise. "Grimmjow," the teal haired arrancar grunted. "You will be Kurosaki-kun's… bodyguard and escort… until I decide he does not require one. Consider it your punishment." The aforementioned two glared at each other again. "Dismissed."

Aizen got up and leisurely walked behind his throne. The room erupted with voices as he disappeared from view.

"Ha! Grimmjow, you have to watch the shinigami."

"Any bets on how long the kid lasts, being watched by this guy?"

"Not very long most likely."

"Aizen-sama must want the guy to die."

Ichigo winced at the voices but kept his reiatsu down anyway. After a few seconds of taunting, Grimmjow stood, reiatsu exploding for a moment. Everyone silenced. While it was true that the Fraccion would be protected by their Espada, Grimmjow was not one to easily forget grudges.

The teal haired man didn't look up as he shunpoed lightly down to Ichigo. He walked out off the meeting room and the orange head followed silently. Some of the espada who knew Grimmjow better wondered why the Espada had so much control over his emotions that day. It was almost as if Grimmjow was happy about something.

Ichigo spoke up as they walked down the corridors of Las Noches. "You didn't defend yourself." Grimmjow growled in return. Ichigo turned to look at the taller man, confused. "Why?" Grimmjow looked nervous but was saved from responding by a small cry.

"No! Plws! Nel didn't do anything wrong!" Ichigo's eyes widened at the plea and he shunpoed after the voice. A few arrancar were gathered around the small huddled form of Nel. One of the arrancar kicked Nel into a wall and Ichigo lost his temper.

"Stop that!" The arrancar turned to him. The one who looked like the leader, and who'd kicked Nel, smirked.

"What's this? You look like an arrancar but you smell like shinigami." The arrancar took out their swords and attacked the new prey. Ichigo defended and sliced apart one arrancar as another cut him on the arm.

"Oy, what's this?!" Grimmjow's deep voice rang out. A hand rested firmly on Ichigo's shoulder and Grimmjow looked at Ichigo with a scowl. "Ya can't just run like that and expect me to not catch you or somethin' ahh?" Ichigo scowled at him began to protest

"I wasn't trying to…"

"Grimmjow-sama." An arrancar interrupted him. Grimmjow whirled on the arrancar angrily.

"Shut the fuck up!" Grimmjow yelled and slammed a bala into the stomachs of each of the arrancar. The arrancar flew into the walls. Ichigo broke out of Grimmjow's grasp and ran to shield Nel from the flying debris.

"Ya done being a hero?" Grimmjow asked into the dust and rubble. Ichigo rose, one arm curved around Nel, holding the female Privaron to his chest. "Let's fuckin' go already!"

"Where?" Ichigo asked. Grimmjow pinned him with a glare but answered.

"Aizen wants ta see you." Ichigo walked toward Grimmjow his bleeding arm hung at his side, useless. "We're going to the espada meeting room." Ichigo blinked.

"Didn't we just come out…"

"Tha's the Fraccion meeting room fucktard! Listen when I tell ya stuff!" Ichigo scowled again. Nel whimpered slightly and Ichigo turned to her. Grimmjow took that opportunity to inspect Ichigo's bleeding arm. It didn't seem too bad, though the sleeve of the uniform was completely stained with blood.

"Hey" Grimmjow looked at Ichigo's face. "Will Nel be safe if I set her in my rooms?" Grimmjow took in the shivering bundle in his arms.

"Doubt it," Grimmjow responded casually. Ichigo scowled and, without another word, the two shunpoed off with Grimmjow in the lead.

_In the Real World_

The group of shinigami, humans and Quincy stared at the blank air that housed the garganta. Everyone's faces housed some kind of disbelief as they looked at each other. They were in various positions from defensive to downright unkempt after dodging the ceros.

"Did Ichigo just…" Rukia stuttered. Mayuri had different sentiments.

"So the boy did betray us." Ichigo's friends turned to the scientist, various forms of protest already rising from their throat.

"Ichigo betrayed us?!" Matsumoto exclaimed and the group turned to the new arrivals. Hitsugaya, Ikkaku, and Yumichika all had similar looks of disbelief. Byakuya looked at their incredulous expressions and explained everything. Hitsugaya frowned when Byakuya had finished.

"This has to be reported. I find it hard to believe that that boy would betray Soul Society but…"

Byakuya turned to the people their. "All shinigami will return to Soul Society save Matsumoto Fukutaichou, Ikkaku, and Yumichika." Renji and Rukia began to protest but wilted under the noble's impassive glare.

"What about us?" Ishida asked. Byakuya was already half way through the gates leading to Soul Society.

"What about you?" Mayuri asked and followed Byakuya. The rest of the shinigami that had to go followed silently.

After the portal closed everyone broke down in their own way. Ishida slammed a fist into the nearby wall, cursing Ichigo for giving him trouble. Inoue promptly sat down and began crying, the emotional turmoil from days since catching up with her. Chad did nothing responded to nothing, and seemed to have completely shut himself off. The three shinigami looked at them with pity and sorrow.

"Ah, ah… Where's Kurosaki-kun? …" Everyone turned at Urahara's lilting tone. While he seemed to be asking casually, his eyes bore no hint of the usual humor. "Please do not tell me that you've lost him…"

Ishida slammed his fist against the wall again, unmindful about the fact that his knuckles were bleeding. "Fine. I won't tell you."

Urahara looked at them all from under his hat. "Perhaps we should talk…"

_At the Urahara Shoten_

"Tea?" Only Yumichika nodded. Ururu ran to prepare the tea. When it had arrived, the shop manager and former twelfth division captain began speaking.

"What are you planning to do?" There was an uncomfortable silence before Chad spoke up.

"We will rescue him." Urahara waved his fan in front of his face casually.

"Ahh… but how? It seems that poor Orihime-chan cannot go to Hueco Mundo. That leaves the two of you…" Ishida gritted his teeth.

"Kurosaki is a shinigami. Soul Society has to help." Ikkaku inputted helpfully.

"Not quite…" Attention turned to Urahara again.

"Shinigami-tachi, do you know Soul Society's protocols for vizards?" They shook their heads. "Do you know what the Hougyoku can do to vizards?" they shook their heads again but Inoue had begun to tremble.

"What do vizards have to do with anything?!" Ikkaku demanded.

"Why, everything! For instance, Kurosaki-kun himself is a vizard…"

_Back At Las Noches_

The trio stopped at a pristine white door. The door opened to reveal Aizen sitting on his chair, back facing them. As he turned, the three noticed that he was smiling. "Grimmjow, wait in Kurosaki-kun's quarters with Neliel please, he will be there shortly." Ichigo's arm tightened around the female arrancar unconsciously and Aizen's smile grew wider, more dangerous. Ichigo set the child on the ground.

"Grimmjow, if she's hurt I'll…"

"Aww shut it! Ya can't do anythin'!" The teal haired arrancar picked up the girl nonetheless and walked out with her slung over his shoulder. "Jaa!"

The white door closed behind him with a terrifying thud. Aizen's smile disappeared. "Come here." Ichigo stepped closer but backed away, his uninjured hand shifting to Zangetsu as Aizen stood. The man disappeared and Ichigo felt a strong grip on his uninjured arm.

"Do not bother." Ichigo made a strangled noise of dissent and tried to back away. Aizen's grip on his arm tightened as the other rolled up the ruined sleeve on the other side. The ruler of Hueco Mundo inspected his arm, an almost soft look in his eyes. Ichigo shifted uncomfortably.

"Come with me." Aizen walked away and Ichigo followed a few steps behind. His hand was no longer on his sword. There was no need. The man had proven his power several times over already.

The two stepped into a white room via a side door. Ichigo looked around. Everything was pure white with black trimmings. "Sit down on the chair." Ichigo turned to Aizen again. How had his attention so easily shifted? The other man was sitting on the edge of the large bed. He gestured to the chair facing him. Ichigo sat hesitantly.

"Eh…"

"Don't move." Ichigo flinched as he was interrupted. Aizen carefully held his injured arm and placed his other palm over it. A green glow surrounded the arm and Ichigo watched in fascination as the wound closed quickly. "Do not injure yourself over things like that again." Ichigo looked up and made the mistake of catching the other man's eyes.

Serious brown eyes burned into his and he was lost for words. Aizen watched the hazel orbs of the boy carefully. Ichigo was scared, but he didn't hate him; Good. One hand came up unconsciously to brush the other's cheek. The orange haired boy jerked at the contact and stood.

"Umm, if it's alright with you, I'd like to be going now…" Ichigo refused to meet his eyes. Aizen almost chuckled at his childish embarrassment. The boy turned to leave and Aizen wrapped both arms around the boy's torso, unmindful of the sword separating them both. He leaned over and breathed in the boy's scent slowly. Ichigo had long since frozen from shock. The two remained in that position for a moment before Aizen stepped away.

"Your lessons with Uliquorra will begin tomorrow morning. Tell Grimmjow I expect him to stay with you throughout your visit. It seems you still require an escort." Ichigo winced, all thoughts of the surprise embrace forgotten. This was a cold blooded ruler. "There is an arrancar outside that will escort you to your room." Ichigo walked toward the door and left.

As so as he had, Aizen sank down onto his bed. Any more unconscious movements like that embrace would mean the destruction of his plans. But the boy did smell like strawberries. Very interesting… But he was getting distracted, far too distracted, by this.

Ichigo stepped into his quarters lightly. He'd decided not to ponder upon Aizen's actions too much. Who knew what would happen if he did? Grimmjow was sprawled over a couch and Nel was curled on a white bean bag. The teal haired Espada looked up, eyes flitting to his healed arm. "Ya took your time didn't ya?" Ichigo scowled at him, and then turned to Nel. The female arrancar was sleeping.

"Let's go." Grimmjow got up and stretched, muscles rippling over tanned skin. Ichigo hesitated and glanced at Nel. "We're gonna get food (1), Pick up that brat and C'mon already!" He turned with a small 'tch' and exited. Ichigo followed with Nel cradled carefully in his arms.

The mess hall was a mess of arrancar though almost everyone stumbled over themselves to get out of Grimmjow's way. The volatile Espada snarled at a few of them and they shrank back in their seats. White benches and small tables were spread across the room. There were a select few tables with throne-like chairs in the room as well.

A random arrancar smirked and tripped Ichigo as he walked pass. With only one arm to balance him, Ichigo stumbled. The arrancar laughed with his cronies. "Hey! You aren't dead yet, Shinigami!" The noise in the room disappeared. Ichigo grit his teeth but ignored the arrancar carefully. "Whoa! There's a brat!" An arm snaked around to grab at Nel and Ichigo snapped.

Suddenly, Grimmjow was between the two, one hand on the outer edge of Ichigo's large sword as it extended toward the arrancar. The other had disappeared inside the chest of the arrancar. "Che." Grimmjow took his arm out of the limp arrancar's torso. "Good. I didn't get my sleeve dirty." He walked away, wiping his arm absentmindedly on one of the arrancar's crony's clothes. "C'mon carrot top." Ichigo sheathed his sword and followed Grimmjow.

After the two had gotten their trays of food, they sat down at an empty table with throne chairs. Ichigo placed the still sleeping Nel on the chair next to him. His raised his gaze to look at Grimmjow and met startling blue eyes. The Espada was looking at him with a serious expression.

"Don't start with the, 'why're you helping me crap got it?!' I got my reasons." Ichigo turned red and mumbled quick thanks. Nel awoke just then and Ichigo busied himself with tending the small arrancar. Grimmjow carelessly played with his food as his eyes scanned the room ever few seconds.

"Yo! Vizard!" The three looked up, ignoring the startled murmurs around them. A very pretty blond arrancar stood there. Grimmjow tensed from his position across the table. "I'm Stark's Fraccion, Geriel (2)." She placed her tray on the table and held out a hand. Ichigo gripped the hand, looking at the arrancar's peculiar mask. It was in the shape of a large necklace atop her bosom. The white uniform looked like a dress and, amazingly, was long and had a small neckline. "May I sit?" She asked after releasing his hand.

Ichigo nodded and Grimmjow didn't reply. The female sat on the other side of Ichigo and scooted closer. Grimmjow scowled at the two and paid even less attention to his food. Ichigo blushed at the proximity and Geriel smiled. "So… I heard."

"No." The two and the ignored Nel looked at Grimmjow. "I don't fuckin' care whether ya Stark's or not. Get up 'n move." His scowl had worsened. Geriel chuckled.

"Of course Grimmjow-sama, I forgot you didn't like to sit with anyone." She stood, then abruptly bent down and kissed Ichigo on the forehead. Ichigo blushed as red as his namesake when the female left.

"Whasth wrong wisth her?" Nel asked. Ichigo turned toward her.

"What?"

"Shes touchiesth." Ichigo blinked dumbly.

"We're leaving," Grimmjow snapped. Ichigo looked up at the angry Espada.

"Uhh… Now?" Grimmjow stood with a harsh chair scraping sound. The people around him flinched. Nel crawled into Ichigo's lap again.

"Let's go; I'm getting' fuckin' irritated by this bunch." Then, with his hands in his pockets, Grimmjow made a straight path to the door. Ichigo was left with no choice but to follow, one hand still clutching Nel. Las Noches was a strange place…

**StrangePlaceStrangePlaceStrangePlaceStrangePlaceStrangePlaceStrangePlaceStrangePlaceStrangePlace**

_Author's Note: One more chappie of voting!!! And then… Dunno if I can extend it… but I'll try. See ya next time! & review!!!!_

_(1) Perhaps Arrancar don't have to eat… whatever… -blows raspberry- heh -grin-_

_(2) Made up char… don't worry about her…_


	4. Don't Fight Dear Trio

_AizenxIchigo : 29 votes_

_GrimmjowxIchigo: 28 votes_

_Author's Note: …Wow… That's close… Too close… What to do… If only one of them pulled up by at least three… Eh… Tha' means 1 more voting chance for all ya'lls. Sorry the chappie's a bit late… School…urgg… **(Due to an overload of Reviews (Thank you btw... for all of them...) and votes... One person pulled ahead and voting is now done... sorry if you didn't make the deadline...)**_

* * *

_At Las Noches _

Ichigo stirred dreamily on his large white bed. Something shoke his arm lightly and he groaned in response. "Yuzu?" Ichigo opened his hazel eyes and stared straight into the green eyes of Nel. "Whaaa!!!"

The small arrancar fell back onto the bed as Ichigo shot up into a sitting position, one hand flying to his forehead and through his hair. She took in the orange haired boy's disheveled topless sight for a moment before crawling up again. "Itsygo…" The boy looked at her.

"Riiiight… Tha's what happened…" He slurred. After their interrupted meal, Grimmjow had practically forced Ichigo to sleep and had retreated to his own quarters. Ichigo dressed in a new uniform (He'd found several pairs in a stack when he came back due to the lack of a lock on his door…) and picked up Nel, who was wearing the same she'd worn before.

"Itsygo…" Ichigo looked at Nel again but before he could ask what was wrong the building shook slightly. Ichigo dashed out of his bedroom, leaving the girl behind.

Ichigo pulled his door open only to slam it shut again as an arrancar came flying at him. He opened the door after a few seconds as saw that the arrancar had missed the door and was slumped to the ground on the side. Another arrancar on the other side of his door had made the previous shudder. Grimmjow stepped out of his own door, topless and looking very peeved and annoyed. "An' who the fuck told ya ya could come in my fuckin' room?!" His hand rubbed the back of his head slowly. "Fuckin' weaklings…"

"Uliquorra-sama s-s-sent us." One arrancar managed to stammer.

"To inform the Shinigami of his lessons in an hour" The other finished. Grimmjow scoffed and the arrancar winced.

"Get me breakfast then." His teal eyes flickered to Ichigo's half naked form in the doorway. "An' get him what he got last time." His eyes then flickered to Ichigo's feet for a brief second before looking back at the arrancar. "N' while ya at it, get the tiny thing somethin' too." The arrancar bowed quickly and fled amist Nel's small protests. Grimmjow turned to go back into his rooms.

"Ano… Grimmjow?" The man turned his upper torso slightly.

"Yeah?" Ichigo blushed. The other man's voice was scratchy and deep. "Wha' is it berry?"

"It's not strawberry!" Ichigo retorted reflexively, and then shrank back slightly. "Eh… Aizen… he wanted you to be at the lesson thing too." Grimmjow threw up his hands and Ichigo watched his shoulders ripple slightly. He blushed some more. Why was he doing that….

"Wha, ever…" Grimmjow looked at Ichigo's bright red face and grinned broadly. Oh yeah, the boy was flaming gay alright… wait …why didhe care? "See ya in a bit. Afta' the morons come back with food."

All three retreated to their rooms and the doors slammed shut. After just a few short minutes, an arrancar brought Ichigo and Nel their food, bowing jerkily while doing so. The two finished their meal uneventfully and looked at each other.

"Well, you want to come with me Nel?" Ichigo asked. Truthfully, he felt he shouldn't leave the little arrancar behind but staying with him was sure to get her killed. Nel crawled in his lap as an answer and began fiddling aimlessly as Ichigo's arm wrapped instinctively around her.

A few uneventful minutes passed and Ichigo became impatient. Where was that teal haired Espada anyway? A few more minutes of silence was enough to make Ichigo pick up Nel and his sword and stomp toward Grimmjow's door.

The door was open. Ichigo was both curious and slightly worried that Grimmjow would have a fit if he went in. Curiosity won and Ichigo stepped in.

* * *

Grimmjow's rooms were larger than his. Platforms dotted the walls and bridges connected some of them. The more stations hung off the walls and everything looked like an ornate three dimensional maze. The center hosted a few couches and bean bags scattered in a random pattern. Everything was stark white and the only color was from the shadows under the structures. Ichigo barely noticed that there was a large door somewhere on a high platform to the left, Grimmjow distracted him completely. 

The teal haired arrancar was sprawled sideways on a low platform covered with white fur and looking pointedly at him. "Ya came in my rooms…" Ichigo's hand slid to his sword slowly. Grimmjow shook his shaggy head. "Nah. Can't hurt ya anyway. Aizen'll have my arm…" The 'again' part was left unsaid and Grimmjow scowled angrily.

"So…" Ichigo started. Grimmjow stared at the boy intensely. Ichigo blushed again. He then noticed something. "Are the Fraccion protected by the Espada?" Grimmjow snorted in amusement.

"Most of'em. See, higher ranking Espada can kill any lower Espada's Fraccion as long as the 'all mighty'…" Grimmjow stressed the sarcasm, "… don't show no favoritism. Lower Espada can kill higher Espada's Fraccion only if they fall out of favor or sum'ut."

Ichigo pondered as he leaned on a couch. Nel waved her hand in his face but Ichigo brushed it away. He was frowning again. The little arrancar squirmed out of his grasp after the futile gesture and began running toward a staircase leading to the maze of platforms. Grimmjow sat up and made to grab the kid but Ichigo shunpoed in front of him.

Grimmjow looked down at the boy. His hair just tickled Grimmjow's chin and the boy's warm breath expelled on his bare chest. The taller man stepped back. Ichigo didn't seem aware that he'd moved at all. "Hey, Grimmj… whoa!" Now it was Ichigo's turn to fall back. "When'd you..."

"What is it?" Grimmjow snapped, shifting on his feet.

"If Nel's your Fraccion, will she be protected from Noitora?" Grimmjow scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Nah." Ichigo frowned again. That would be a problem. What to do…

Then Grimmjow whirled around, one hand on the hilt of his sword. "Uliquorra…" Ichigo turned, surprise clearly on his face.

"We will begin the lessons now. Kurosaki Ichigo, follow me." Uliquorra turned to leave.

"Wait!" Uliquorra turned again. "What about Nel?" His emotionless gaze flickered toward the happily playing girl.

"She is not of my concern." Ichigo scowled.

"Where can she be safe?"

"From whom?"

"The spoon guy, Noi-something."

"Noitora does as he pleases."

Ichigo scowled deeper, if that was even possible. This guy was insanely unable to communicate. "How can I protect Nel from Noitora?!"

"Become an Espada, defeat Noitora, and make her your Fraccion." Ichigo stepped back, mortified. Become an Espada? No way!

"Now come; and leave the Privaron." Grimmjow practically dragged Ichigo after Uliquorra by the collar of his coat. Nel watched them leave but didn't say anything. She had her own agenda.

* * *

_Outskirts of Las Noches _

"This is one of the training grounds." Uliquorra waved a hand leisurely at the wide expanse of sand and white buildings under the artificial sun. "We will begin training now. The first lesson will be reiatsu control now…"

The "morning" passed ever so slowly. Several arrancar passed through one time or another. Uliquorra and Grimmjow were with the new shinigami kid? Gotta be something interesting happening with that combination. Maybe they'd blow up Las Noches or something. Those who dared to chance Grimmjow's wrath approached cautiously.

That wasweird… Uliquorra was speaking to a very frustrated orange haired boy with crazy fluctuating reiatsu. Grimmjow was not arguing with Uliquorra and appeared to be shouting insults at the boy. Every few minute the boy would stop whatever he was doing and yell at both of the Espada. The dangerous trio didn't fight though. Only Uliquorra's hand strayed to the hilt of his Zanpactou, and that was thrice at the most. The group dispersed some time in the afternoon after the boy collapsed into the sand.

* * *

_ Later that evening_

Ichigo stepped into Aizen's room again. The man was sitting on a wide white chair and seemed to be waiting for him. "Have a good day Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo grimaced slightly.

"Sure… I had a lot of fun…" Aizen's smile grew wider at the boy's sarcastic comment.

"Tell me about your day…" Ichigo hesitated to spill everything but Aizen's cajoling voice broke his barriers. Aizen listened attentively and interjected comments at regular intervals. When it was time for Ichigo to leave, Aizen repeated his behavior from before and wrapped his arms around Ichigo. The boy didn't respond outside the tensing of his shoulders.

* * *

For the next few days, Ichigo's life became routine. Every morning he'd awaken to breakfast with Nel. Then the young Privaron would stay in Ichigo or Grimmjow's rooms as the two Espada and Ichigo left. During training, Ichigo would argue with Grimmjow and Uliquorra. At times, the three would exchange views on life. Those peaceful moments would never last long and arguments would always erupt. 

In the evening, Ichigo would chat with Aizen about anything at all excluding the war. The conversations would often last for quite some time and always ended with a brief gesture of intimacy of some kind. All in all, Ichigo wasn't unhappy. Here, no one tried to kill him regularly and he had much less stress than before. His dreams were sometimes filled with memories of his friends but waking up with Nel's smiling face usually displaced all that. He wasn't happy, but he wasn't going to dwell on it. He had to stay and so he was going to make the most of it.

* * *

_ Urahara Shoten_

"What?! Kurosaki is a Vaizard?!" Matsumoto, Ikkaku, and Yumichika stared at the shop keeper. Chad, Ishida, and Inoue seemed slightly surprised but not overwhelmed like the shinigami.

"Ano… Perhaps we should contact Soul Society for the rescue mission?" Inoue asked shyly after a slight pause. People hesitated and looked at each other nervously.

"Soul Society believes Kurosaki is a shinigami right? So they have to send someone for him." Ishida interjected thoughtfully. Chad nodded beside him.

"Kurosaki-kun saved us so m-many times. We should go save him now!" Inoue declared with a smile. The others looked at her pointedly.

"We can't risk having you go to Las Noches Inoue." Matsumoto replied sadly. "Or else everything Kurosaki did would be undone." Inoue's fake smile dropped and she nodded sadly, gaze pointed at her bent knees.

"Well now…" Urahara declared with a big smile. "You should be going now!! Orihime-chan will stay with me for the present!" Ishida barely resisted whacking the pervert on the head. The shinigami rose as one.

"Let's go see what Soul Society is planning then."

* * *

_ 6th day in Las Noches, Training Grounds_

"As I said before, trash goes in the trash can and souls go to Soul Society! Soul Society is not a trash can!"  
"Of course not."  
"Huh?"  
"Weaklings return to the void between worlds."  
"That too!"  
"Oy! Ya two done playin'?! It's damn hot here!"  
"Then go sit in the shade or something!"  
"… Assuming that you are able to find such."  
"…" Ichigo slammed his reiatsu against a nearby pillar and caused part of it to fall.  
"There! Shade!"  
"… tha' ain't fuckin' shade. Tha's a pile o' rubble n' …"  
"I believe you've crushed one of Szayel's Fraccion Kurosaki…"  
"… Those things are slow…"  
"Wha's that? The tenth you've fuckin' bombarded wit stuff this week?"  
" … I think it was the eighth…"  
"Why would you waste brainpower to remember such?"  
"I was bored alright! Bored! Back to the lesson already!"

Ichigo closed his eyes to signify his unwillingness to continue the conversation. Grimmjow was still perched on a nearby rock, eyes scanning the surroundings restlessly. Uliquorra stood further from Grimmjow than Ichigo and waited. Ichigo breathed deeply and slowly began pulling his seeping reiatsu in.

"There, happy?" Ichigo asked grumpily. Controlling reiatsu was hard for him even after practice.

"I feel no emotion." Uliquorra replied, stonefaced.

"E' means are ya satisfied dumbass! Even I know tha'!" Grimmjow shot out. Ichigo sighed as the two began shooting responses back at each other. He was surprised the two weren't coming to blows but noticed that they'd toned down the insults. Instead of saying one of them was weak, they taunted a specific ability. But then, he supposed spending five full days with each other might've done that.

"You? Defeat me? Perhaps you should defeat this unkempt vaizard first." Ichigo's head shot up and his control eroded a bit.

"Who're you calling unkempt?!"  
"You."

"…" The two hot headed men stared at Uliquorra and, for the briefest second, the black haired man's lips seemed to curl up.

"It's really hard to argue with you…"  
"Ya… Too fuckin' onesided of an argument. Hell! Even berry here is funnier to yell at."  
"Funnier is not a proper word."  
"Yell at me? Well pardon me! I…"

"Ya Pardoned." "You are pardoned." Ichigo glared at the two. They were having far too much fun toying with him.

"Emergency Espada meeting taking place now." An arrancar sped past with the message, not bothering to stop. Grimmjow reached out a hand and lazily grabbed the arrancar's arm.

"Say it properly wimp."

"Ehh… Grimmjow-sama, Uliquorra-sama, ehh… guest-sama? There is an emergency Espada meeting beginning in a few minutes…" The three exchanged glances. Huh. Weird. "Something about hybrids desu(1)"

"Hybrids?! ...Szayel?" Shot through their heads. Grimmjow allowed the arrancar to leave with a small gesture and the three exchanged glances before shooting off toward the Espada meeting grounds...

"Control your Reiatsu Kurosaki."  
"I am, I am!"  
"No ya ain't I kin feel it fuckin' practically writhin' around 'ere."  
"Shut up already!"  
"Ya shut it Berry!"  
"It would be best for both of you to refrain from speaking."  
"…"  
"Polite speech just drains the mood doesn't it Grimmjow…"  
"Totally fuckin' agree…"

* * *

___  
Author's Note:_

___… Boo… _

___**Vote people!**… Before I write the action parts preferably…… And **review**!_

**___(Don't Vote!... it just ended...) _**

___(1)Polite crap to say… writing Grimmjow's personality is twisting my vocabulary…Sorry…_


	5. Decisions Decisions

_AizenxIchigo : 40 votes_

_GrimmjowxIchigo: 44 votes_

_Author's Note: Hey, Did I mention before? If not, __**Thank You**__ to everyone who voted and Reviewed… (My inbox was flooded . - Happy -) And Grimmjow won the voting … by a surprising four votes by the end of the second day… so I stopped it before it could tie again… Doesn't mean you should stop reviewing though!!! Even an "I like it" is good!_

* * *

_Current Setting: Las Noches Espada Meeting Room Six days after the rescue mission_

The moment Ichigo stepped into the meeting room, he knew something was wrong. For one, Nel was standing behind Aizen's chair in her adult form. She was wearing a clean green robe and was bowing her head. A young female Arrancar that Ichigo briefly remembered as one of Aizen's personal servants was slightly behind her. Of the other Espada, only Halibel was there.

"A word with you, Kurosaki-kun; if you please. Loli, please prepare tea for everyone else when they arrive. I will be shortly." Aizen didn't ask for a confirmation. He was up out of his chair and walking away before Ichigo had even registered the words.

"Eh…" There really wasn't anything to say. Ichigo practically had to run after the man as he disappeared into the shadows. He missed Grimmjow's glare at the brown haired man and Uliquorra's quick glances at all three of them.

Ichigo followed Aizen into the shadows and flinched as the man turned and slowly slid an inch of his Zanpactou out of its sheath. "Yeah?"

"I would like to make you an offer. You seem to be adjusting to Hueco Mundo nicely. I would like to attempt making you an Arrancar." Ichigo's face twisted angrily. Aizen continued. "Now, before you decline so rudely I would like you to hear the terms. First, the transformation might not succeed. Either it will work and both you and the Hougyoku will be fine, or it will not and both of you will…" A slight pause. " … Not be fine. Assuming such a feat was accomplished successfully, I will allow Neliel Tu Oderschvank to stay in Las Noches peacefully as your Fraccion. Keep in mind that, if you do return to Soul Society, you will still remain a Vaizard and, as such, a possible enemy of Soul Society. At that point, my offer will no longer exist."

Aizen paused to allow Ichigo to think. On one side, he had Nel and (though he was loath to admit) Grimmjow and Uliquorra. He could stay as an Arrancar, or go back to his friends in the real world and soul society. But soul society hated Vaizards and despite not wanting to believe such, he feared what would happen if they knew. And of course there was always that small chance that the Hougyoku would not succeed in making him into an Arrancar and destroy itself. That was the most tempting of all.

"You are a guest and prisoner here as of now." Aizen's voice brought him out of his revere. "It will not be possible for you to return unless you wish to risk the lives of your Nakama." Ichigo flinched again. He'd forgotten that part of the deal. Suddenly, turning into an Arrancar didn't seem all that bad of a choice. At least he had a small chance of destroying the Hougyoku… "You have until the end of the Espada meeting. I will expect your answer then."

Aizen slipped his zanpactou back in its sheath fully and stepped out of the shadows, heading back to the Espada meeting. Ichigo remained there, mind reeling. His mind tried to convince him to say no, but there were so many benefits. So many things he could do as an Arrancar that might possibly win the war. He could destroy some of the Espada with his power increase. He could, He could…

And before the boy knew, he had been caught by the net of webs that had been slowly forming and closing in on him since the first day he'd arrived...

* * *

_Soul Society, 1 day after the end of the rescue mission_

To say that Renji and Rukia were nervous was an absolute understatement. They'd spent the previous day healing and in prison, carefully kept apart from each other and any people that might've helped them. Now they were finally standing in trial.

"Enter." The double doors to the captain's meeting hall opened. The two walked in, escorted by Nemu and Sasakibe, carefully chosen to show no bias.

"You, Kuchiki Rukia and Fukutaichou Abarai Renji are hearby charged with insubordination and the conscious disobeying of an order. What have you to say for yourself?" Renji stepped forward.

"We did so to save our Nakama…" The thundering of Captain Yamamoto's cane stopped him.

"Inoue Orihime was branded a traitor. You disobeyed rules to rescue a traitor?" This time it was Rukia's turn to step up.

"We were attempting to rescue our friend who has been unjustly branded a traitor when she herself was a prisoner." A few of the vice captains nodded thoughtfully. The captains showed no emotion.

"Enough. Is this the story you will go with?" The question was met with two nods. "Fine, you are both hereby banished from visiting the real world for the span of one year." Loud gasps of surprise and disapproval was heard. Renji looked ready to argue but Rukia bowed her head sadly.

"I ask that the sentence start after we have rescued Kurosaki Ichigo from Hueco Mundo."

"Denied." Rukia's head shot up.

"But…"

"Kurosaki Ichigo willingly stayed in Hueco Mundo, did he not?" Rukia nodded, abet unwillingly.

"Actually Sou-Taichou," This time, Hitsugaya Toushiro stepped forward. "From what I've heard, there was a deal involved in all this. A deal in which we received our side yet we have not consciously paid in return."

"The price for the deal was most likely Kurosaki Ichigo himself." Kuchiki Byakuya spoke monotonously. The hall erupted in protests and shouts of disbelief. By that time, all of the vice captains and captains knew what had happened. They had simply waited for the meeting to discuss it.

"Silence!" The cane pounded the ground and order was quickly restored. Rukia had turned pale and was swaying on her feet. She'd traded one of her best friends away. Just like that…

"We do not have the personnel necessary to rescue one shinigami from Las Noches."

"Eh? And somehow Ichigo had the personnel necessary to rescue one shinigami from Soul Society… Four people and a cat. No, _one_ shinigami, two _humans_, a _quincy_, and a _cat_." That was Zaraki's voice, oddly controlled in this climate. "Somehow he had enough personnel to destroy _three_ Privaron, _defeat_ one Espada, and injure _two_ others. Somehow huh?" He paused for everyone to take it in, the similarities in their words not escaping them.

"You support such a mission then? You, who are still injured?" Zaraki growled in response.

"The kid owes me a rematch. I won't let him die until then."

"Then, by your standards, I must go as well?" Byakuya's voice drifted lightly over the group, unhurried.

"Yamamoto Sou-Taichou!" Everyone's attention shifted to the large television like thing on the wall that has just cleared. Matsumoto's face stared at him. "There's something you must know!" Beside her was the smaller figure of one Inoue Orihime.

"Ano… I'd like to explain everything…" Inoue began, and promptly described all that had occurred from after Ukitake had sent her to the real world till when she'd gotten home.

"… And so we all tried to dodge the ceros and, and… Oh please save Kurosaki-kun!" The tears which she'd been holding back burst forth in a torrent. Matsumoto placed one hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"And so she is not a traitor…" Unohana's soft voice drifted out. "… Simply a girl who has gone through too much in too little time."

"Do the majority of captains wish to send a rescue team for substitute shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo?" The Sou-Taichou's voice rang out, weary. The answer was almost unanimous.

"Actually, Kurosaki Ichigo is a _Vaizard_… Just thought you'd like to know..." Heads whirled to the person who spoke. Ishida's face was in the center of the transmitter, angry. "…And your thoughts? Will you stop the rescue for him because he is one? Think. If Aizen has the Hougyoku, what can he do? If you don't help him, Aizen has the potential to turn him against everyone does he not?!" Ishida's voice became angrier. "All of you know he is strong. He has the potential to become stronger. Are you going to hand him over to the other side?"

"That's enough! The rescue mission will be in five days." Yamamoto Sou-Taichou slammed his cane down on the ground to face the protests. "That should be ample time for everyone to heal." He now turned to look at Ishida. "Quincy, soul society will provide seven shinigami for this venture. Out of the seven, three will be captains, three will be vice captains, and at least three will have proficient healing abilities. DO YOU AGREE?" Ishida nodded. It would be quite the group with him and Chad.

"Fine, in five days, Zaraki Kenpachi, Kusajishi Yachiru…" The man stepped forward, grinning broadly, with his vice captain on his shoulder. "… Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Kurotsuchi Nemu…" The pair stepped forward. "… Abarai Renji, Kuchiki Rukia, Kuchiki Byakuya." The former two looked at each other happily. The latter simply stepped forward.

"In five days, the mission will begin. Good Luck to all of you."

* * *

_Las Noches Espada Meeting Room_

The talk at the table slowly began winding down. Ichigo stepped out from the shadows during a pause.

"You have made your choice then?" Heads turned toward Ichigo as Aizen spoke to him. Grimmjow practically twisted his torso 180 degrees to look behind his chair.

"Y-yeah." Ichigo's throat was suddenly dry. He cleared it and began again. "Yeah, I'll become an Arrancar." Murmurings spread throughout the room.

In the six days he'd been there, he'd met most of the Espada already. He'd gotten on Halibel and Stark's good side simply by not ogling at the former and handing the latter a pillow when they were going to sleep on the floor. Yami respected him because he was stronger and Szayel did the same. Uliquorra and Grimmjow, he spent time with daily. He, however, hadn't met the old Espada or Tousen(1) at all. Gin, he'd avoided, and Noitora… There definitely was no lost love between them.

"Excellent. Why don't we perform the ceremony now…" Aizen stated. Eyes were glued one the passage of one green pole rising from the ground. It twisted into smaller pieces, revealing the Hougyoku, glittering softly.

Aizen stood from his seat and approached Ichigo. The Espada trailed after with varying expressions of disgust, surprise, anger, and nothing.

"Kneel and place your hands behind your back." Ichigo hesitated, but did so, feeling very vulnerable. Without warning, Aizen's hand closed over the Hougyoku and plunged in his chest. Ichigo's eyes grew wide and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

The room shoke as his body trembled. Aizen withdrew his hand, still clean, and stepped back with the other Espada. Ichigo's form continued to tremble and he screamed wordlessly. His hollow mask formed. Then the arms, torso, legs, and tail all formed. He continued screaming and the room trembled with his shaking. The shaking grew to jerks and then to convulsing movements. His hollow hide began to crack in various places. Grimmjow unconsciously took a step forward and, to his surprise, Uliquorra's face seemed to tighten slightly; not too much, but it was emotion enough.

Just as abruptly as it began, the boy fell, hollow hide cracking and falling like some sort of morbid eggshell. Ichigo pitched forward panting yet, surprisingly, still conscious. His elbows hit the ground first and he rolled to clutch his chest weakly. A bloody stain spread across this chest in a wide circle. The Espada waited.

Ichigo raised his orange topped head, slowly looking at the others with dull brown eyes. He had three red tattoo-like slashes on his forehead that resembled the slashes on his mask. There were no bone fragments on his face that they could see. Ichigo undid the zipper on his coat and his vest shakily. A torrent of black and red spilled out onto the floor and the new small hole in his chest was clear for the first time.

Ichigo didn't know what to think. He had a hole in his chest. A fricken' hole in his chest!!! That meant he was a hollow! It'd worked! Ichigo reached one hand to his face, fearing the worst; no mask.

"Welcome to our ranks, Kurosaki Ichigo." The newly "holed" Arrancar stood shakily. "You will be Espada Cero for the time being. Grimmjow, Neliel. Escort our new Espada to his rooms please. Everyone else, dismissed." The room cleared. Szayel bent down onto the floor, as if examining the blood that tricked out of Ichigo's hole; then he too left.

The double doors slammed shut omniously, leaving Aizen and the other two traitor shinigami. Aizen was smiling broadly.

* * *

Author's Note: Aaannnd Whew! It's a short Chappie but… hey… I tried. The next one… I have most of it planned out… now to see if it'll actually go into words… 

(1) Can you believe it? I forgot about the guy! ... oops… Sorry…


	6. Truth

_Disclaimer: ...Sadly, I don't exactly own Bleach... _

_Author's Note: ...It's here! ...Umm... I have no beta so if you find errors and such... ehh... Tell please... _

* * *

_Las Noches _

Ichigo felt like his insides were burning. He screamed but he had no voice in which to scream with; no breath to scream. He felt his chest rip apart and his head fell forward, body curling in on itself. The pain stopped as abruptly as it began. He undid the front of his coat and vest in fear. Had it worked? Staring at his own hollow hole, he felt despair like no other. It had worked. He was an arrancar. He stood shakily. No… it couldn't be… but he still had Zangetsu. That was his only lifeline now. His head was spinning. Everything didn't seem right…

"Welcome to our ranks, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo tried to stand; to defend himself against the Espada. "You will be Espada Cero for the time being. Grimmjow, Neliel. Escort our new Espada to his rooms please. Everyone else, dismissed." Ichigo couldn't do a thing as the aforementioned two hooked an arm under his arms and helped him along. He couldn't raise his head. Not to this.

He dimly noticed the woman was talking to him. Cold air blasted his hole as they walked, a constant reminder of what he'd done, of what he'd allowed, of what he never thought would work…

* * *

_Soul Society, Day of the Rescue Mission, Morning_

Zaraki and Yachiru were at Urahara's training grounds early. To their surprise, Renji and Rukia were already there, the former fidgeting and the latter attempting not to. The four locked gazes and all stilled. There were more of them. Ishida and Chad came at the same time Byakuya glided through his own portal.

Mayuri and Nemu were the last to arrive, the former muttering things and holding vials of liquid. He tucked them into his robes hastily and gestured to the impatient group to begin.

Urahara opened the portal without showing his usual smiling face. Renji attempted to talk to him but he refused to bait the freeloader even then. He opened the gate and everyone sprang in without a second thought, intent on the mission. Only after they left did he lift his head. On his face was sadness; grief for what was about to happen.

* * *

_Las Noches_

Nel watched Grimmjow's face carefully. She'd observed for days how he seemed to stick to Ichigo. All the complaints about being a bodyguard for "berryhead" never seemed real. Now his face was etched in a deep frown, his arm tight around the boy's hurt form. Ichigo was barely walking and coughing up blood every few steps. The change wasn't going easy on him that was for sure.

Grimmjow tightened his grip on Ichigo's limp body as the boy coughed again, breathing harshly. Even after their battle, he could've stood. Now every part of him was limp. Was the guy going to be okay? He couldn't challenge a dead guy(1) for a rematch… right? And the carrot-top's reiatsu was dizzying. It had taken on a hollow tint but still seemed too … shinigami…

The three approached Ichigo's rooms carefully. As soon as they entered, Ichigo shook off the helping arms. Nel stepped away carefully but Grimmjow's arm tightened on his body. Ichigo looked up at the taller man with wide brown eyes. A trickle of blood trailed down the left corner of his open mouth as he panted. Grimmjow didn't meet his gaze and practically threw him onto a large couch.

Ichigo groaned as his was thrown, body aching. He opened his eyes tiredly and watched the two in front of him come closer. Grimmjow met his gaze then, intense teal eyes penetrating into his shadowed brown ones. Nel quietly took a seat further away from them; out of sword range.

"You never told me you were going to turn into an Arrancar…" Grimmjow's voice was low, angry… _polite_. Ichigo flinched and looked away, anger rising.

"Why? Would I? I don't have to tell you anything…" Grimmjow winced but retorted angrily.

"Sure, and that whole fuckin' week wit' Uliquorra was just nothin' huh?" Ichigo's eyes flickered to him suddenly. Grimmjow's breath hitched. The boy's eyes were like dark molten chocolate. He was confused and hurt and… Grimmjow took an involuntary step forward. The boy flinched once more and turned to sit up, avoiding his gaze again.

"You had orders to stay with me anyway." A small whisper crept from his mouth. Grimmjow turned to leave, angry, but was stopped by Nel's voice.

"The shinigami won't take him back; the vaizards won't take him back…" Ichigo was now sitting, head still bowed. "Las Noches… does Las Noches want him?" The silence after she'd spoken was almost palpable.

"He still owes me a rematch," Grimmjow snarled and left in a flurry of white. Ichigo's head had lifted slightly, hope shining in his eyes. Did he have friends here after all? His look connected with Nel's. She smiled at him sadly.

"Kurosaki-sama. Your Fraccion is here to serve you…" No friends after all. Just enemies and an ex-almost friend turned servant. How grey and painful the world had become.

Grimmjow rested his back against the cool stone of Las Noches. His chest throbbed like someone had driven a knife there; and left it to bleed. The carrot top looked so weak now. Grimmjow understood not being wanted, not being needed. He understood, and how painful it was. The taller man staggered to his own rooms. As for why he cared, it couldn't have just been as an adversary. He knew that now; but then why?

He dimly felt Uliquorra's presence and barely gathered himself in time, half way in his room. The green eyed Espada approached slowly, easily.

"There are shinigami intruders." Grimmjow snorted lightly. Why tell him? "Aizen-sama would like us to personally get rid of them." The teal haired man twitched in annoyance, now Espada had to take care of weakling intruders too? "Noitora and Yami will be meeting us there as well as Szayel." Now Grimmjow was curious. Five Espada for simple intruders? How strong were they?

"Aizen-sama believes they are coming for Kurosaki." Grimmjow froze. A strangled laugh burst from his throat. The irony! Oh, the irony. If only they were here just an hour before!

Uliquorra waited for Grimmjow patiently. It was clearly visible that the other Espada was more than just comerades with the shiniga… no, Cero Espada. The man was obviously falling for him. He wondered briefly what Grimmjow would do to the boy's friends that had come. Surely it would not be beneficial for him to attack them…

After a few moments, Grimmjow buried his head in his palm, and then looked up. "Well? Where's m' prey?" His feral grin was back. Uliquorra turned and led the way.

* * *

_Ichigo's Rooms_

Ichigo awoke, noticing for the first time that he'd actually fallen asleep in exhaustion. Some time during his nap, Nel had wiped the blood off his chest. The woman was now sitting comfortably across from him, a worried expression on her face.

"Wha?" Ichigo mumbled groggily.

"How are you feeling?" Nel asked softly. Ichigo shrugged and flexed his muscles experimentally; no pain. The serious image in front of him disappeared and the next thing he knew, he was being suffocated by her large assets while she bawled somewhere above his head.

"Gahhh! Get off me!" Ichigo shouted, blushing furiously. Nel stepped back, sniffing. Ichigo smiled at her gently. "Hey, I'm fine. So stop crying, okay?" He waited until the sniffing stopped then continued. "I'm going to go change, you can do whatever you want, 'kay?" Nel nodded slightly but didn't move. Ichigo went into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

He his coat was half way on when a familiar blast of reiatsu alerted him. It was a weak blast, but he would know that anywhere. "Rukia." He breathed softly. They were here and they were going to get themselves killed!

Ichigo dashed out and past Nel, who needed no explanation. The two shunpoed quickly, fear spreading in their hearts and on their reiatsu. Ichigo unconsciously pulled his fear tainted reiatsu in, a weeks worth of training catching up to him. They were here. He wouldn't let them get hurt…

* * *

_Other part of Hueco Mundo_

Grimmjow was sitting lazily on a rock outcropping, Uliquorra next to him. Szayel was on the other side of Grimmjow and Noitora even further away. Yami was, as always, behind Uliquorra. The silent group waited, reiatsu pulsing with excitement. Five Espada for the battle; FIVE. It was sure to be an epic one.

The approaching Shinigami slowed. There was no way they'd be able to avoid this group. Their only option was to blast right on through.

And so the five Espada faced the seven Shinigami, one human, and one Quincy. Anticipation simmered in the air. Everyone waited for someone to speak.

"Aizen-sama requests that you leave Hueco Mundo." Uliquorra finally spoke, calmly and quietly, his voice somehow spreading across the vast distance between the two groups.

"Hell No!" That was Zaraki, grin firmly in place. "I got a battle I'm gonna finish!" Noitora's smile grew wider, if it was possible.

"Oh really? You must have finished your death wish then."

"Hardly, just wanna cut you up an…"

"Why are you still alive?" The strange voice of the twelfth division captain flickered through the space between them. The scientist whom he'd been talking to didn't respond verbally, his smile was enough. He was still alive. Mayuri's victory had just become a shameful retreat. "No matter, I will kill you this time."

"Our mission is to rescue Kurosaki Ichigo, not to fight, fellow Taichou-tachi." Byakuya intoned, eyes moving to the green eyed Espada, the strongest one. It was Grimmjow who responded.

"Ya too fuckin' late." Somehow, his voice lacked the usual wild point. It was still rough, still coarse, but no longer like he was the top of the world.

"What do you mean?!" Rukia panicked, reiatsu flaring in fear. "He's not dead! He can't be dead!"

"Ya left him for seven days ya shit!" Grimmjow loud angry voice carried strongly, biting into their hearts. "What do ya think? Ya can just get him back like nothin' happened?! Let me tell ya somethin' funny ah?! Ya just _barely_ too late! Too late by a fuckin' hour! Mayhaps not even an hour!"

Ichigo's friends staggered back. They'd missed by an hour? Just an hour. Had the mission started earlier in the morning, had they not dawdled, everything would've been fine! But they'd missed by an hour. They'd failed him. The four exchanged guilty looks as the other Shinigami stood in silence.

"If he is dead, then why is his reiatsu approaching us?" Byakuya intoned again. Heads shot up and looked toward the distance. Sure enough, the unmistakable orange head was shunpoing quickly at them.

"You liars!" Rukia shouted. "He's not dead!" Relief filled her voice. To her surprise, Grimmjow looked down, Noitora's and Szayel's smirks widened, and Uliquorra's head bowed slightly. Yami didn't do a thing, still trying to absorb all that had happened.

Ichigo landed on in the middle of the "battle grounds" chest heaving with exhaustion. Nel had tactfully stayed slightly behind the five Espada standing there.

Once there, Ichigo looked around nervously. How to explain everything without a fight now?

"Strawberry!" Ichigo inclined his head toward Renji slightly, not turning. The red head was grinning. "Let's get going already!" Smiles dropped as Ichigo faced them fully, exposing the three red tattoos on his face. There was no mistake on what that represented.

"Can't," He said calmly, like they were still friends. Kurosaki Ichigo had betrayed them; had betrayed his friends and family for Las Noches.

"See? Told all ya t'was too fuckin' late!" Grimmjow called, and they finally understood.

"You turned into an Arrancar an hour ago?" Surprisingly, it was Mayuri who spoke. Ichigo blinked in surprise but nodded.

"Ehh. Yeah…"

"Why?" That was the Quincy, going straight to the point as usual. His voice was accusing.

"I thought I didn't have a choice!" Ichigo yelled. Something in him roared angrily and a tendril of reiatsu escaped his hold. "I thought – I can't go back anyway! And I thought it wouldn't be able to work! Turning a Vaizard into an Arrancar! I..." He clasped a hand over his mouth.

"They know." That was Chad; tall and silent. He radiated no disapproval.

Ichigo blinked calmly. "Oh…"

Rukia was crying now. "I'm sorry! For trading you off like that! I'm sorry!" Her knees gave out and Renji and Byakuya barely caught her in time.

Ichigo looked at her pointedly, sorrowfully. "Hey, it's alright. Soul Society has plenty of fighters like me. They need healers like Inoue. People like her can save lives better than I can." His strong voice rang out as one hand moved to the zipper of his vest down, exposing his hollow hole.

That was the last straw for some of them. Ishida lunged forward, practically snarling as Chad held him back. Mayuri stepped forward, unbuckling his Zanpactou from his waist.

"A word with you? Privately please…" He handed his sword to Nemu who clutched it like it was her life; more than her life. Ichigo blinked as Mayuri approached and stepped forward as well. Mayuri held up a hand. "Please. At least leave your Zanpactou behind. I have no wish to be stabbed."

Ichigo flushed angrily at the insult but unbuckled the belt holding Zangetsu. He turned toward the Espada, debating on whether to leave Zangetsu there or leave him with the Espada. He threw Zangetsu to them, still wrapped in its cloth. Quick as a flash, Grimmjow stood and caught the wide blade by the hilt. The rest of the Espada watched carefully as the two in the center leaned their heads together.

* * *

"You are an Arrancar now, yes?" Mayuri murmured in a low voice. Ichigo shrugged carelessly, clothes still unzipped. "Yes, yes. Of course, you have a hole. Of course, Vaizard no more…" Ichigo frowned at his ramblings. Something was off. The scientist wasn't saying much. A sharp pain burst on his upper arm and he stumbled back with a cry. Mayuri now had a syringe in his hand and a crazed grin on his face. There was no more liquid in the syringe.

Ichigo stumbled as he knelt, a wave of dizziness caused him to groan and clutch his head. Dimly, he saw Mayuri shunpo back quickly as a pair of white cloth covered legs appeared in front of him. No, there were two pairs of legs. Someone grabbed him by the scuff of his neck and lifted him roughly. He stared into Grimmjow's eyes; dazed brown ones boring into sharp teal ones. He was shaken; once, twice. Someone was yelling.

The clamor increased his headache and his whole body shuddered in muted pain. The grip on the scuff of his neck released and, in an attempt to stand, he landed on his feet. His body pitched forward and he barely distinguished that he'd collapsed on Grimmjow's chest. It took him almost a minute realize that Grimmjow had stiffened in surprise and that he probably didn't like people leaning on him. Lacking the strength to stand, Ichigo slipped off his chest sideways, eyes closing.

He never hit the ground.

* * *

Grimmjow _barely_ restrained himself as Ichigo stumbled back from the Shinigami captain. He _couldn't_ restrain himself when the boy fell with a soft cry. Uliquorra was faster, he noted, as the two stood in front of the downed boy. Grimmjow turned to grab the scuff of Ichigo's robes and pulled him up. The body in his hand was almost dead weight. Dizzying reiatsu surrounded him and he met the chocolate brown eyes of the boy determinedly. The boy gave no indication that he was seeing anything, pained eyes staring straight through him. Grimmjow dropped the kid was a small 'che' already turning to face the blubbering Shinigami masses.

Before he could fully turn around, Ichigo's body toppled over and his face smacked into the Espada's bare chest. He froze in shock. The boy's spiky orange hair tickled his chin and his warm body leaned on the Espada's in a careful balance. After a long awkward moment, the boy shifted sideways, falling. Grimmjow caught the body without meaning to, one strong arm looping around the thin torso to shift the boy, face up.

The head bumped his chest as he lowered the boy carefully. Ichigo's eyes were closed, frown still deeply etched in the sharp planes of his face. His vest fell open, revealing the lightly tanned chest, the rippling muscles underneath, and that small hole that was going to start this battle.

"If you are done? ..." Uliquorra's inquiring voice snapped him out of his revere.

"Of course," Grimmjow snapped, dropping Ichigo's Zanpactou next to the boy's prone form.

"Good. Pick your opponent." Grimmjow blinked, before reverting his gaze back to the battlefield. Zaraki and Noitora were battling, now a little ways off. Szayel and the other scientist guy were facing off, shooting insults at each other.

Grimmjow looked at his choices. The Quincy, human, red head, and black haired girl were weak; he knew that already. The other black haired Shinigami who'd been holding the scientist's Zanpactou was following her captain mindlessly. That left the angsty looking captain. Oh how he hated that expressionless smile, mirrored on Uliquorra's face. Without another word, he launched himself at the man.

Uliquorra watched as his fellow Espada fought their opponents before turning to the remaining group. The small black haired girl was in no condition to fight. The red head, human, and Quincy faced him. Briefly, he felt Yami shifting behind him. Battles raged and the tenth Espada had been left out.

"Yami; the human." This would be muscle against muscle. If Yami didn't win this, he would be kicked out of the Espada. Losing to a human was definitely unacceptable. The two hulking masses moved a little ways off and Uliquorra faced his own opponents. He'd been left with the weakest trash; how revolting.

The battles continued, neither side dealing the finishing blow just yet. The body left in the middle of the battles stirred slowly. Fights halted momentarily as the orange haired boy groaned and stirred. His reiatsu blasted out strongly, causing several Espada and Shinigami to freeze. Some Shinigami even collapsed, gasping for air.

A dark garganta opened under Ichigo's body, resembling a sort of crevice in the ground. Tendrils of red shot out and into the air quickly. They fell gracefully and wrapped around his limbs. Other tendrils shot up and curled around the air, slashing marks through the visible waves of reiatsu in the air. Ichigo screamed before tendrils wrapped around his mouth, effectively silencing him. His eyes darted frantically as his body didn't respond. The body was slowly pulled down. Renji leapt at the boy but was forced to his knees a few meters away from him. There was silence as the garganta closed.

* * *

"So, did your experiment work?" Szayel's voice rang out slyly. Mayuri grimaced.

"The liquid should have turned the Arrancar back into a Vizard… then why…" He muttered organizing his thoughts and answering the question. Szayel flung back his head and cackled.

"Arrancar! You think such a boy would become a normal _arrancar_?! He's a hybrid; a_pure_ hybrid!" Mayuri's head shot up, eyes wide.

"A hybrid?! How?!" Szayel smirked but didn't reply. Research was personal and never without costs. The Shinigami and other Espada stared.

"Wha's a fuckin' hybrid?" Grimmjow panted in his released form. One of Byakuya's arms hung at his side, useless and his Bankai was solidified into one sword; its final form.

"Hybrids are a mix of Vaizard and Arrancar; A perfect mix of two polar opposites. But now my test subject is gone… such a rare test subject…" The two scientists pondered for a quick moment.

"Leave." Uliquorra stated. His two opponents were bleeding heavily and he didn't even have a drop of blood on his pristine white clothes. "You came for Kurosaki. He is gone. Leave." The Shinigami prepared to continue fighting. Uliquorra sighed inwardly.

"Yami." The injured Espada staggered over, his opponent sprawled in the dust. "Throw them in." Even the dull headed Espada knew what that meant as Uliquorra opened a wide garganta. He hoisted Chad on his shoulder and threw the man into the portal. He continued with all the downed Shinigami and, with no choice, the less injured Shinigami stepped through as well. The garganta snapped shut.

The Espada that were released returned to their sealed forms. Weaker healing Arrancar approached quickly. Szayel's Fraccion offered themselves up for his digestion and Yami's healed him cautiously, not wanting to anger the man. Noitora was huffing and refused healing services, opting instead to complain about how he hadn't finished the fight. Nel approached Grimmjow carefully and silently and began to heal the numerous incisions on his body. Uliquorra looked at the sorry sight.

"Tell Aizen-sama I'll be back soon." Grimmjow swatted away Nel's hand irritably as he stood, breathing hard. His garganta was already half way open when Uliquorra spoke up.

"You are weak." Grimmjow turned, snarling in fury at Uliquorra's comment. "I will go." This mollified the temperamental Espada instantly.

"Eh… so…" Grimmjow stuttered hesitantly.

"I will be back soon."

* * *

_Author's Note: A slightly longer chappie… with a few more hints of what's to come… Cause I'm a reader of fan fics myself and I know I __**despise**__ short chapters… So yeah…_

_If you'd like to request anything in the story that sounds mildly plausible, please go right on ahead. I can't guarantee that I'll include it but… hey…_

(1) Technically they're already dead but… you know what I mean…


	7. More Complications

_Disclaimer: Dun own Bleach…_

_Author's Note: … Aaannnd I know this is really late… sorry, stuff in life bugged me for a week and I couldn't write... but here… It also just wouldn't come out right… and so I fixed it and fixed it… what can I say? It's my first time writing any bit of a lemony scene… and I ended up skiving off most of it… We all have healthy imaginations people. We can use them… if not write them…_

* * *

If everyone in the world had suddenly died, he wouldn't have cared more. Ichigo clutched his throbbing chest and staggered in the black void between worlds. His reiatsu had been drained by the red tendrils that had deposited him there and even the cackling of his hollow had faded after a time. He could see the path of spirit particles that he was somehow making, but he'd lost his sense of hearing. Or perhaps there was no sound to hear.

He felt pain again. It was excruciating and he screamed in his hoarse voice. He had no sword, no reiatsu, no power. All he had was his broken body and his will. Both were failing. Where am I? The haunting question drifted in the emptiness. He couldn't remember. Who was he? Why did he have a hole in his chest? Where was he?_ Who am I?_

He screamed. The pain of his body was second now to the throbbing of his heart. Once, he'd been so much. He knew that. But now, he didn't even know who he was. A figure approached quickly but he didn't see it.

_Where am I?_ The question came back. He wasn't thinking clearly, he knew that, but somehow, he didn't want to. _What happened?_

A flash of black hair, short on the already short female. She was crying, he remembered. Why?

A shock of blue hair. 'Teal' somewhere his mind brought it up.

A piece of bone on his jaw. His enemy? No. His friend. No. That had changed, hadn't it? All the while, his body stumbled and staggered. He dimly felt his body collapse, finally giving out, and slim but strong arms hold him up. "Kurosaki."

That was his name, was it not? How would he confirm that? He looked up into green eyes and a pale face. "You will be returning to Las Noches with me." He felt compelled to comply. Why? Who was this? 'Uliquorra' his mind provided. His enemy? No, the man did not look at him with hatred, or even the blankness that he usually portrayed. The green eyes were kind. No, they were pitying, not kind. But he preferred kind. He wanted to lie to himself. "We will go now." He looked at his callused hands even has his legs got under him, pushing him off the support of the other man. "Kurosaki?"

His mind was a whirlwind of blurs. Blackness threatened to overwhelm him. 'No!' He needed to tell this person something, the only thing he knew. But he didn't know anything. The pale man was walking away. The boy followed unthinkingly, eyes dull and body lifeless.

* * *

The scenery changed, in a flash of light and Ichigo had to hold a hand in front of his eyes to shield them. Pounding footsteps alerted him as he placed his feet on the white marble. He glanced up to see a teal haired man running toward him. The vest he had on was too short and his hakama were far too baggy. Grimmjow was safe. Wait, why did it matter? He, Renji, Chad, Ishida, and Rukia had saved Inoue. _How?_ Noitora was alive, he remembered, so was Szayel. Aizen had entervined. _Why was he alive then?_ His mind told him the brief summary but actual memory stayed out of his grasp. _You are a hybrid._ A what? Darkness threatened to overwhelm him even as he detected no physical injuries on himself. No pain, no emotion. He concentrated on Grimmjow again.

Grimmjow had stopped a few meters away, sharpcut abs heaving. Emotions flit across his sharp angular face, relief, annoyance, surprise, and settled finally at anger. "What did you do to him?!" He winced, the teal haired man spoke far too loudly and the white halls echoed with his shout.

"I simply brought him back." The quiet reply from the white clad Arrancar next to him was a sharp contrast to the shout. The shouts and replies seemed familiar and, while they clashed with the pristine surroundings, he couldn't help but feel relaxed even as he tried to remember what had happened.

He glanced at his hands and realized that his sleeves were long and white. He was wearing a white hakama with a black sash and black socks with white sandals. His upper torso had a tight fitting white vest with a collar and a zipper down the center. Covering it was something like the inverted form of his bankai, frayed edges brushing the ground.

Or at least, that's what it was supposed to be, he assumed. Bloody gashes had been cut into his arms, legs and torso. Lashes stung painfully on his back and he felt his life's blood drain slowly onto the floor.

"Berryhead?" Grimmjow asked in a quieter tone. He blinked, startled, and tried to speak. The darkness had suddenly taken the form of exhaustion and he was struggling to stay standing. He opened his mouth but couldn't think of anything to say. A frown creased his face as he closed his mouth.

Uliquorra watched Grimmjow tried to resist helping the swaying boy. Such a change in the argumentative Espada was good, he supposed. At least he had more than just anger now.

Just as the silence stretched to an uncomfortable length, a strong reiatsu spread down the halls; Aizen's. The reiatsu pushing at him was finally too much and he could no longer keep the darkness at bay. He collapsed, knees falling to the ground, head bending forward. The last thing he saw was Aizen walking down the corridor, Grimmjow turning, first to Aizen, and then back to him. Aizen disappeared and darkness covered his vision and his mind.

* * *

Ichigo stirred, mind coming back to consciousness. What had happened? He felt a heavy pressure on his abs and lifted his head slightly. Teal hair blocked most of his vision. Was Grimmjow sleeping on him? The espada's face was turned away from him and nested into one sprawled arm. Ichigo's body was covered with a light blanket and the bed that he was resting on seemed to be a hospital bunk inside a nondescript room.

The head on his stomach stirred sleepily and Ichigo lay back down, pretending to sleep. He felt the heavy arm lift and cracking sounds that he presumed to be Grimmjow stretching. Then large hands fastened themselves on his shoulders and shook him forcibly.

"Get up! Ya think I can't tell tha' ya awake?" Grimmjow dropped Ichigo's shoulders as soon as he opened his eyes. One hand ran through his messy teal hair and the other rubbed his chin. "Ya had ta wake me when I was nappin' didn't ya? Ya just had ta." Grimmjow sighed, looking relaxed and slightly tired. Something twitched in Ichigo's mind.

Grimmjow turned and stared at Ichigo as a hand trailed up his face to touch his mask. He couldn't repress a shudder as the soft fingertips brushed his skin. Ichigo's eyes were curious. "Hey," The soft, almost feminine voice shocked him out of his revere.

"What!" He snapped. The fingertips remained on his face.

"Somethin's wrong…" Grimmjow raised a skeptic eyebrow.

"Ya've been out for_days_. Dur somethin's wrong." Ichigo blinked and his fingertips withdrew.

"Eh… That is I…" Ichigo stuttered. His blush was back in full force. Why'd he done that?! It was crazy of him to… Why'd Grimmjow allowed it? "Eh… Bathroom." Ichigo finally muttered awkwardly, still a bit tense.

He slipped off the bed and stumbled to the bathroom under Grimmjow's gaze. He shut the door and leaned on it, feeling weak. What was that all about anyway? And why did he feel so weak?

Grimmjow was just settling down from the touching when yell had him back up on his feet and at the bathroom in an instant. He yanked the door open and practically snarled, "What the fuck is it now?!" Ichigo looked back at him fearfully and Grimmjow frowned.

"I… I'm… I… have no strength anymore… "

* * *

Grimmjow shot quick looks at the orange haired boy who was fidgeting nervously. Ichigo was wearing his usual uniform minus the coat and stumbling every few steps as he walked. His eyes were half lidded and his muscles were very apparent but somehow very weak.

Now why was he noticing his prey's muscles? Sure it could have been because he was going to have to fight the kid but even Grimmjow wasn't dense enough to know there wasn't something else too. And sure he'd gotten excited before good fights… but this type of excited was seriously making him confused.

Sure he'd had a lot of one night stands with lower arrancar. Some of them had been male but the majority had been female… right? He really couldn't remember. But damn the boy had a nice expression on his face. He was scowling, blushing, flustered, and stumbling. They were all traits Grimmjow hated seeing on his temporary fucks. Well, a one night stand with a nice looking little brat wouldn't hurt. But said little brat had become a sort of companion. It was nice having someone to argue with and be on par with. But damn that brat was wriggling his hips again…

* * *

The two approached Aizen, one leisurely contemplating perverted thoughts and the other trying desperately to stand and act strong. The ruler of Las Noches smiled at the two and piece of shadow detached itself from the edges.

"Grimmjow. Kurosaki-kun. To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you today?" Grimmjow glared and Ichigo flushed an even brighter crimson.

"Ah… it's just that… um…"

"Such an adverse effect…" Szayel, the detached shadow, murmured, stepping up to Ichigo. The berry stumbled backward as Szayel came too close for comfort. Grimmjow growled, a low threatening note, and Szayel stopped.

"May I investigate, Aizen-sama?" The pink haired Espada questioned, one hand tracing some invisible line on Ichigo's body. The hybrid shivered in revulsion and stepped back again; unfortunately straight into Grimmjow. He turned around and was met with a well defined upper chest and backed away. Szayel caught his arms.

Grimmjow blinked in surprise. It was the second time that had happened and he never ceased to marvel at how someone who'd beaten him once was so much shorter than him. Hell! His hair had tickled Grimmjow's chin for god's sake!

Ichigo struggled in Szayel's arms a slight bit before Aizen spoke, effectively startling all of them out of their thoughts. "A blood sample only Szayel Aporra. For now." Ichigo winced as the scientist jabbed a needle in his arms but didn't resist when his blood was drawn.

"Thank you Aizen-sama. I will report my findings later. If I may be excused?" A nod excused the excited scientist who scampered out in a defined manner because Espada didn't just _scamper_.

"Kurosaki-kun…" Aizen murmured eyes half lidded as he watched. "What am I going to do with you?" Ichigo glared at him. His face changed from relaxed to the usual half smile. "Grimmjow, your restrictions will now cease though I do expect him to live. I also believe Kurosaki-kun requires new clothes. Also, I would like you to leave Zangetsu with me." Ichigo started to protest but was halted by the feeling of Grimmjow's rough palm against his lips. A hard muscular body pressed behind him.

"As you wish, Aizen-sama." Grimmjow purred. Ichigo paled and tried to struggle again as his sword was taken. It was futile as Grimmjow snaked an arm around his waist and practically dragged him away.

* * *

Once they were a few corridors away, Grimmjow's hand came off his mouth and Ichigo coughed. The arm around his waist wasn't too uncomfortable but it made the two walk far closer than Ichigo was comfortable with.

"Why'd you do that?" Ichigo asked. Grimmjow's arm tightened around him.

"My restrictions have been lifted. Shut up before I do something I'll regret." It wasn't what Grimmjow said that finally shut Ichigo up, it was the clipped serious tone in which he said it. The teal arrancar's reiatsu boiled around them, lashing around his torso just enough to be felt but not enough to hurt. Ichigo squirmed slightly and Grimmjow almost snarled in response.

That was how the two walked back to Ichigo's rooms. When they got there, Grimmjow threw him onto a couch. Ichigo landed heavily, still confused about Grimmjow's behavior. His confusion bordered on fear when Grimmjow crawled onto him.

"What? G… g… get off!" Ichigo tried desperately to push the heavy Espada off with his weakened muscles. Grimmjow caught Ichigo's hands in one tight fist easily and pulled it above the boy's head, watching his vest hike up to reveal a smooth tanned belly. He carelessly tossed one leg over his captive's two, spooning the boy in on the couch.

* * *

_Grimmjow's POV_

His emotions were in a complete turmoil and he had no idea what to do. A part of him wanted to get away and go back to his own room; the logical part of him. The instinctive part of him wanted him to take the berry right then and there, fuck the consequences. Grimmjow had always been the instinctive type.

He leaned down and ran the tip of his tongue along the tanned waist line, completely ignoring the boy's yells of horror and frustration. The warm body squirmed under him, brushing up against his groin in feathery touches. Grimmjow groaned against the captive body. How Aizen had known to take the "don't touch him he's a guest" restriction off right then he didn't know and didn't care. Right now a handsome body needed his attention. He trailed the fingertips on his free hand lightly over the tight vest, slowly unzipping it. The body began moving jerkily.

Then he made the mistake of looking up into his captive's eyes. The normally scowling face looked desperate and pleading. His brown eyes held frustration and more than just a hint of fear. Grimmjow felt his own lust dying away quickly. Damn the boy for provoking him and then doing that. He sighed against the now uncovered chest. Ichigo had stopped yelling and squirming. What was he supposed to do now?

* * *

_Ichigo's POV_

Sure he had been slightly worried when the taller man practically crawled on him but that was nothing compared to what he felt when the man trapped his arms and legs. He yelled at Grimmjow to stop but the man didn't seem to hear him. He squirmed slightly when he felt something wet trailing his mid waist area. Oh hell no, Grimmjow did not just _lick_ him. And on the waist too!

And… oh crap… there was no mistaking that piece of hard flesh pressed up against his hip. Hell, was he going to get raped?! Fuck, fuck, fuck, this couldn't be happening. And now the guy was unzipping his vest and damn his own body was responding to the touches… Fuck!

The view suddenly changed as Grimmjow gazed at him. He felt his breath catch slightly as the intense teal eyes caught him. The blue burned into him, lust evident in his gaze. But there was confusion now, and hesitation. He froze when Grimmjow looked down and sighed, warm breath expelling onto his now uncovered chest. Oh thank you whatever god there was! The guy was going to stop molesting him!

* * *

Now Grimmjow was in a predicament. It was a lot easier to fuck someone when they were writhing in the throes of passion than it was to fuck someone when there were clearly unwilling… even if the blush staining their cheeks was getting him more aroused than ever.

He bent his head further down and froze when he noticed a slight bulge. Oh ho! So the kid did want to fuck. He grabbed at it with his free hand and stifled a growl when the body buckled, hips arching and accidentally rubbing against his already throbbing cock.

"Fuck," Grimmjow growled and his second grope was responded with a barely stifled moan of approval from above. The teal haired man crawled onto the other's body, all the while undoing the other man's hakama. Lusty bronze eyes stared back at him from under a tussled mane of orange hair.

Grimmjow swooped down for a kiss eagerly, feeling the soft lips struggle to keep closed under his rough tongue. Needless to say Grimmjow won the battle easily. Hmmm tasted funky, like those strawberries he sometimes had…

"Grimm… jow… get off!" Ichigo panted. Sometime during his contemplation Ichigo had wrenched his swollen lips away from his.

"Can't, my hands are busy, you wanna help?" He perverted smirk grew as he drew Ichigo's hands to his groin, seeing the already red face flame in embarrassment. God that was sexy. Urk! Now even his hakama was tight on him as the innocent hands brushed up against his throbbing length as they struggled. He was going to lose his mind at this rate.

* * *

When Grimmjow opened his eyes, several things alerted him to the fact that something was seriously wrong. For one, his body was spooned around another, smaller body. A closer inspection revealed that the body was asleep and tied up, arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders, wrists connected. Said body had vivid orange hair and was sporting several dark spots on his neck and upper torso.

He groaned, one hand flying up to ruffle his messy hair. The sleeping body curled in further, mumbling incoherently. The events flew back to him as he blinked: the weakened state, the groping, the taste of the boy, and the _scent_. His instincts had told him to rape. He'd ended up giving the boy a slow and torturing hand job reveling in the other's protests turned moan and the lithe tanned body rubbing against him. God, fantasizing was going to give him a boner at this rate.

Ichigo opened his eyes blearily. His protests had gone to nothing after his mind had hazed in pleasure and frustration. He distantly remembered pleading and a sharp release after what seemed like hours of torture. Then the man had just started sleeping on him! After almost an hour of twitching under the heavy body of the Sexta Espada and trying to push it off with no avail, he'd gone to sleep himself, bound hands drapped over the Espada's back where he'd been pounding. The last thing he remembered was low purring as the naked man tightened his grip on his waist.

Ah… that would explain why they were sleeping on the couch together… naked… Ichigo screamed, making Grimmjow groan and bury his head into Ichigo's navel. "No! Damnit! Don't do that! Don't go there… ack! Gerroff!

"Shut up if you don't want your pretty little ass to be raped." Ichigo shut up. Grimmjow glared at him from his position on the boy's chest. "One, I am_tired_ and want to sleep. Two, I am _sex deprived_ and unless you want to pay up I suggest you keep your body as _still_ as possible. Three, as I remember you are currently _weakened_ and so don't even think about trying to fight me." Ichigo nodded carefully.

"Good…" And Grimmjow promptly picked up the boy. Ichigo squeaked in response but barely managed to stop himself from fighting the arms around his thighs and upper back.

Grimmjow dumped him onto his own bed and pulled him close just as he was about to roll away. "Shut up, stop wriggling, and _sleep_ berry." He spooned the other's naked body with his own, one arm around his waist and the other around his chest. Ichigo could feel his blush rising to epic proportions as Grimmjow's face was nested in his chest, crumpled white sheets barely covering their lower torsos.

* * *

Ichigo sighed. Grimmjow was really heavy. After a while, he really didn't mind the teal haired Espada's presence so close to him. At least it warmed his body from the chill air. Grimmjow really was heavy. Ichigo really needed to take a few deep breaths but the Grimmjow's head was at his chest, effectively constructing the easiest of his breathing.

Where was Nel? He could faintly detect her presence in Las Noches but she definitely wasn't close. That meant he was stuck with the sleeping cat on his chest and his arms pinned to his sides. And Grimmjow expected him to sleep?

And he was naked! Damn! He'd forgotten about that. Oh damn… he really needed to get away from Grimmjow before he was raped or something. It's not like he was saving his virginity or something but giving it up to this _guy_…

"Hmmm… berry, stoppit… tickles." Ichigo stiffened. It was too late to run now; as if he could in his weakened state anyway. The head on his chest rose and he met the teal eyes carefully. The eyes had none of their usual sharpness and feral look. Instead, they looked sleepy and content.

"Said stop it." He groaned, lifting himself off Ichigo. The boy reached for the sheets, yanking them up as Grimmjow rolled away.

"Stop what," he snapped, slightly quicker than normal. Grimmjow had one hand in his hair as he turned.

"Ya reiatsu's futtering like a woman's." Ichigo blinked and reigned in his reiatsu with a flush. "Mmm… I'd take your firm little ass right now but that'd be no fun." Grimmjow grinned at him and Ichigo yelped, scrambling away with the sheets as a hand slithered down to pinch said firm anatomy.

"Okay Ichi." Ichigo gulped at Grimmjow's casual use of the nickname. "Either ya run an' I get tha' sheets or ya stay and keep tha' sheets…" So run out of the bed naked to be chased by a horny Espada or stay in bed and be chased by a Horny Espada? That really wasn't much of a choice.

"How about I get the sheets, leave, and you can just fuck off." Ichigo snapped. Grimmjow's grin widened.

"Wrong answer." Ichigo began panicking as the larger man began slowly crawling over, sheets slipping off his naked form.

"Okay, okay! You can have the sheets, I'll go! Just… don't follow!"

"Nope!"

"Then what?!"

"… I'll let you have the sheets and leave. You become my Fraccion for three days."

"Three days?!"

"Ya want ta extend it ta…"

"Fine! Fine! And you help me get rid of my … whatever is making me weak!"

"Deal." The last word was a low throaty purr as Grimmjow let go of the sheets. Ichigo snatched them up immediately and ran for the his clothes and the bathroom, briefly noticing that his cum was still dried on his stomache.

Oh_ what _had he gotten himself into now…

* * *

_Author's note: See! It wouldn't come out right!_


End file.
